Are fighting games dead?

Glenster

I'm 24 and grew up in the golden age of 2D fighting games and I and anyone I've ever known of my generation (apart from social undesirables) have always found them fun in and of themselves.

However I have a 15 y o brother and quite a few cousins who think that that the style of game is rubbish and overly simple.

I think we can all agree that it is fun to beat someone in a game, any game, and fighting games offer us that in a very simple form in quick 3 or 4 minute bursts.

Have games moved on so much that this format is walking dead and only kept alive by the nostalgia of the 25+ and the simple minded indiscimination of the under 12's?

Or is it just that 15-25 y o today are so spoiled by graphical effects and unnessesarily complicated game engines that they have difficulty grasping what true strategy and the joy therein is about?

Or have I just misread the trend?

Retr0gamer

Glenster wrote: »

Or have I just misread the trend?

Totally.

Even Street Fighter 2 is far from a simple game. Fighting games have had a bit of a hardcore following in recent years. Fighting games take a long time to learn and even longer to master so only the very dedicated could find the time to play them. Also they are meant to be played 1v1 and not in single player and with the death of the arcade scene it was very hard to find competition. However since Street Fighter 4 has been released there has been a renaissance in the fighting game scene. Online play means it's easier to find competition and old games like samurai showdown and the old street fighter series can be played on a PC against a triving comunity. Street Fighter 4 is also one of the most accessible fighting games out there but has a load of hidden depth if you want to take your game further. It's introduced a lot of people to the genre. SF4 has got me into the fighting game scene in ireland and has been one of the most satisfying game experiences ever due to this.

Basically Fighting games have never been bigger than they are now with Street fighter 4 leading the pack and a load of other new games released and to be released in the genre.

Jumpy

Overly simple?

I wouldnt class SF4 as simple at all. I thought it was when I first got it, but now playing it for a few weeks has revealed a complexity far beyond what I had expected.

Owwmykneecap

A difficult question. certainly the beat em up is in a better place now than it was a few years ago. a combination of stuff led to their resurgence.

Ubiquitious Broadband leading to much more active community sites. emulation, youtube, that video. sfII on xbla convincing capcom there was a market for something...

it's very similar to many niche hobbies this way.

No its not dead, its more alive than it has been in years. but where is it going...
is there an over relience on one game... the lack of KOF 12 or BlazBlue at evo points at possible problems broadening the base of players...I don't know.

I'm not sure the current level of player etc will remain 3,4,5 years from now.

the lack or arcades/arcade games in your local chipper/corner shop is a real shame, a great place to get introduced to beat em ups..

BTW the guy isnt saying beat em ups are simple, just their appearence is.
my 12 year old nephew's reaction to SFIV was "is that it?"

chopperbyrne

Fighting games 'cap, not beat-em ups.

Beat-em ups are Final Fight and Streets of Rage.

Owwmykneecap

Didn't know you're an american chop.

Streets of rage, final fight etc are side scrollers.

Dreddybajs

Side scrolling beat 'em ups. That's like saying half of shmups aren't shooting games, they're side scrollers.

edit: Also BB and KOF12 aren't in Evo because KOF12 is bad and BB players will all be playing CS, CT will be dead, but not available on console to run at evo.

Owwmykneecap

like NKI says, having HD remix is better than having no SFII.
And KOF 12 isn't bad. its unfinished.. and it's online sucks but the game is solid enough underneath.

It's not 98 or 2002 but then SFIV isn't third strike.


Look at SVBs line up and tell me it's not more balanced.

chopperbyrne

Owwmykneecap wrote: »

like NKI says, having HD remix is better than having no SFII.
And KOF 12 isn't bad. its unfinished.. and it's online sucks but the game is solid enough underneath.

It's not 98 or 2002 but then SFIV isn't third strike.


Look at SVBs line up and tell me it's not more balanced.

Evo 2010 line-up:

• HD Remix
• Super SFIV
• Melty Blood
• MvC2*
• Tekken 6
• Tatsunoko vs Capcom

*BlazBlue players said they didn't want the console version at Evo so it was replaced with one of the most popular games in Evo history.

Super Vs Battle 2010 line-up:

• Guilty Gear Accent Core
• Soul Calibur IV
• BlazBlue
• Tekken 6
• KoF XII
• Super SFIV
• Third Strike

Third Strike was removed from Evo because of dwindling numbers and they don't think GG:AC or SCIV will bring in large numbers. KoF has never had a particularly large US following and XII has not been well received.

You've got to look at where the competitions are being held too. SC has always been big in Europe, which is why it's still at SVB, because the top French, Polish, Swedish, German, etc players will happily travel to London.

I reckon KoF XII at SVB will have a pretty low turnout and probably won't be there next year.

Evo has also taken a chance on TvC and let a public vote decide that Melty Blood will have a place. This might backfire on them, but at least they're trying something new.

Both events will probably be great, but I wouldn't say one line-up is particularly better than the other.

Generic_name01

Hi there,
new member here loving the discussions I'm seeing and really wanted to join cause I have a handful of friends that follow beat em ups so its tough to find people to talk to this stuff about.

I think theres definitely a resurgence with beat em ups now because of SFIV. I work in Smyths toys and we have sold alot of tekken and Street fighter in the past few months and even get alot of people asking about SSFIV.

Tis good to see the irish still got the fighting spirit!

Hopefully evo will be good! I've recently gotten into TvC and Melty Blood and would really enjoy watching some high level fights.

Sisko

welcome to the community, eh, generic :cool:

Generic_name01

Thanks for the friendly welcome!
Tis alot better here then other forums! People seem friendly and just want to fight rather then troll! I think i found my new home on the internet!

Sabre0001

And a fellow Limerick person too! Welcome...they're a good bunch and will take care of you

Sisko

Generic_name01 wrote: »

People seem friendly and just want to fight rather then troll!

Ah jaysus, watch out for that Ropedrink fella so. His post may seem detailed and polite, but he's actually trolling the hell out of you.

He got our very own 'placebo' so badly the other day that it caused him to go online and sing his own song about it.


You have been warned :eek:

fake_roogle

I reckon KoF XII at SVB will have a pretty low turnout and probably won't be there next year.

NeoEmpire was founded and currently run by KoF heads, so I doubt that game will ever drop from the SVB lineup.

D4RK ONION

Welcome generic name! We're all lovely here (well, most of us *cough*Farzad*cough*). Who do you main?

Sisko

What are you sayin Onion your the worst of all of us. I heard you like to spam headbutts and then taunt people.. you evil sumana-hitch

D4RK ONION

If you're not going to block on wake up after the 3rd headbut hits you, you deserve to fall! Besides we all know I'm the best player in this here country!

Doctor DooM

RopeDrink wrote: »

I'm not the troll here, dude :rolleyes:

He wasn't saying you were. That's placebo in that video

Sisko

aaaaaaargh I can't handle it , the trolling is ...too ...much....ropedrink....too....powerful... making ....me ....self... conscious..about...my... posting style...



You're saying I use too many smilie faces? :eek::(




NOooooooooooo I've been successfully trolled!! I'll never able to use a smilie again with out being paranoid! Nooooooooooooooooooooo what a world what a world. Learn from my failure generic guy, or you'll end up like me! Trolled into oblivion....

/explodes

Doctor DooM

Guys, enough troll jokes.

It always ends up with people getting peed off and accusations slinging.

Ry

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Guys, enough troll jokes.

It always ends up with people getting peed off and accusations slinging/

Yeh "trollbag's" at dawn!

Sisko

I'll see you there so Ry





(I'm the guy with the gun )

Generic_name01

I started a fight by introducing myself? I'm off to a great start!

I used to main Bison but these days I'm very rusty as I tend to just mess around with dan but I'm confident with my honda!

D4RK ONION

Ooooo a fellow Honda! I look forward to that mirror match! If you have friends who play, encourage them to sign up here too man.

Generic_name01

Having just seen most of yer grade points I have no doubt the words PERFECT will get burned into my tv if I try to take ye on!

But us Limerick lads are dangerous in numbers!
Oh I'm sure I could get my friends interested. Just stumbled across the site yesterday looking for Hakan info

DarkTalant

D4RK ONION wrote: »

I look forward to that mirror match!

Groan...... How?.....

D4RK ONION

Generic_name01 wrote: »

Having just seen most of yer grade points I have no doubt the words PERFECT will get burned into my tv if I try to take ye on!

Grade points are for losers! I've 16,000 but I've still not been able to best the like of DooM who's G2 and I can bring it to out resident Vega player who is nearly SG! Grade points show how good you are at grinding! (for the most part)

DarkTalant wrote: »

Groan...... How?.....

People always say this to me! But I always have very aggressive Honda Mirrors! Ask A-Trak!

Generic_name01

Well now that I've fought Azza I can say I'm alot more behind then I could have thought possible! In around 8 or so matches I won a round! Major eye opener that but I feel it really helped point out where I'm going wrong (its everywhere) so I look forward to fighting anyone else who wants to increase their win ratio!

Generic_name01

Yeah exactly to me it felt like that bit mid season in most anime where the main character has been kicking major ass all the time and suddenly a new guy shows up and pounds him into the ground.
Tbh I felt like I was wasting his time! But I was just happy to play someone properly because on xbox live you find alot of lag strategies are common so you spend all your time focusing on beating those kinda players and you get so used to fighting against cheap tactics that you dunno what to do against a proper player.

I'd love to fight your boxer but alas I'm on XBL. Shame, honda vs boxer is always good!

D4RK ONION

Add me on XBL, same as my name here.

Don't worry, I'm supposed to be a half decent Honda and he still beats me about 3:7!